By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. | adeyemi@ddnewsonline.com
Editor, DDNews |
The Federal Government has launched a nationwide Learner Identification Number (LIN) system, issuing unique digital IDs to over 1.9 million candidates already registered for the 2026 examinations conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO). The initiative, announced by the Federal Ministry of Education on Friday, is designed to assign every student a permanent and traceable academic identity. This is aimed at supporting learning continuity, improving education planning, and enabling timely intervention in the education system.
In a statement signed by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the government said the system ensures that every Nigerian child has access to structured and verifiable educational records. Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, described the reform as a key milestone in the transformation of the education sector, aligning it with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda focused on human capital development and technology-driven governance.
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“This initiative marks a turning point in our education system. By assigning every learner a unique number, we are building a structure that supports each child’s journey from classroom to career, while ensuring that no one is left behind,” the minister said. According to the ministry, over 1.9 million candidates already registered for the 2026 WAEC and NECO examinations have been issued their Learner Identification Numbers in the first phase of the rollout.
The system represents a major step in strengthening education data management and improving the integrity of public examinations nationwide. The Learner Identification Number is a unique and permanent identifier assigned to each student, enabling tracking of academic progress across different levels of education.
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Each code contains structured information, including state, local government area, school, and a unique student identifier. This allows records to remain consistent even when learners change schools or relocate. The system is built on the Digitised National Education Management Information System, which already provides a national database of schools, each assigned a unique identification number.
Officials said linking students to verified school records would enhance examination verification, reduce impersonation, and strengthen the credibility of national assessments. Beyond examinations, the ministry said the platform would help identify out-of-school children, track student progression, detect dropouts, and support targeted educational interventions.
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The system is fully digital and integrated into national education data frameworks, marking a major step toward modernising education management in the country. The ministry disclosed that the next phase of implementation will extend the identification system to all learners in public and private schools nationwide through national data systems and the Annual School Census.
This rollout is expected to create a comprehensive, centralised database that will improve planning, resource allocation, and policy formulation in the education sector.
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